Hong Kong Immigration

Introduction

Hong Kong is an excellent destination if you wish to live and work in another country. If you possess the right combination of qualifications and professional experience, you may be eligible for a work visa. If you wish to have one of our professional advisers determine your eligibility, please fill out a free online assessment.

Unlike the some countries such as the UK, Hong Kong has no quota on the number of people who can live and work in Hong Kong as a skilled migrant.

There are a few routes to allow you to obtain a Hong Kong visa as a skilled professional:

If you were educated in Hong Kong as a full-time student and have since graduated, you may be eligible to extend your stay or return to Hong Kong under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG).

If you obtained your degree or higher qualification outside of Hong Kong, you may be eligible to immigrate to Hong Kong under the General Employment Policy (GEP). The GEP does not apply to residents of Mainland China.

Chinese residents of the Mainland who have not been educated in Hong Kong and possess desirable knowledge, skills and/or experience may come to Hong Kong under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP).

Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates

Applying within six months after graduation

If you have graduated from a Hong Kong educational institution and you start the process of obtaining your visa within six months after graduation, you will not be required to have an offer of employment as a condition of receiving your visa under the IANG.

Applying after six months have passed since graduation

If six months have passed since you graduated from a Hong Kong university and you are applying under the IANG, you must have secured a bona fide offer of employment when you apply.

Duration of visa

Your visa and residence permit will be good for an initial period of one year. You may apply for an extension to your visa after this time for a period of two years. The second time you extend your stay, your visa will be valid for an additional two years and the third time you extend your visa it will be valid for a period of three years.

General Employment Policy

If you wish to immigrate to Hong Kong as a skilled migrant and possess the right qualifications, skills and experience for which Hong Kong desires, you may be eligible to obtain a visa under the GEP.

You must have a confirmed offer of employment when applying and the vacancy must be in an occupation relevant to your skills and qualifications. It should also be an occupation that cannot be easily filled by local labor. Moreover, you must not have a criminal record or otherwise represent a security risk.

If you are a Chinese national living overseas, you may be eligible to come to Hong Kong under the GEP provided that you have permanent residence overseas, and have been residing overseas for at least one year before your application.

Duration of visa

You may extend your stay in Hong Kong under a GEP visa for a period of two years. The second time you extend your stay, your visa will be valid for an additional two years and the third time you extend your visa it will be valid for a period of three years.

Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals

If you are a Chinese resident of the Mainland, you may be eligible to live and work in Hong Kong under the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) work permit.

Like the GEP scheme, you must possess qualifications and experience which are not readily available in Hong Kong and you must have a valid offer of employment when applying for your visa.

Duration of visa

You may extend your stay in Hong Kong under the ASMTP scheme for a period of two years. The second time you extend your stay, your visa will be valid for an additional two years and the third time you extend your visa it will be valid for a period of three years.